Health Insurance Exchanges – either state-based exchanges favored by moderate Democrats and Republicans (reflected in Senate bill) or a national, federally-run exchange favored by liberal Democrats (version in the House bill) – are an essential component of national health reform.

Bottom line, health insurance exchanges would provide a far more efficient, competitive, and seamless marketplace for consumers and small business to buy health insurance coverage, while also facilitating subsidies for low-income families, easy comparison of benefit packages, and transparency of premiums.

Deborah Maggart, a health care communications specialist at TogoRun, has written an interesting article on two competing visions of health insurance exchanges (HIEs) and implications for communications.

The article includes links to additional resources on HIEs.